By the time September came around, we were itching to get out and see some of the state.  There are about 20 places we really want to visit (that we know about now) and never enough time to get out and see them.  So, when a three day weekend came around, we were ready.  We packed up the kiddos and drove to Lake Rabun, about an hour and a half north from us.  They had quite a few campsites open and we took our time trying to find the best one we could.  Most of them were excellent, but there was a huge family group in the main area and other campers let us know that they had been howling (literally...it was weird) all night and day.  The other campers were not pleased, so we found our way up to the most remote site they had.  It was nearly perfect.  It did take about 5 minutes to hike down to the bathroom, but there wasn't another camper in sight.  

Camping at Lake Rabun Recreational Campground

Coming back from the bathroom trek.

The next morning we made our way to the first hike, which was could get to right from the campground.  Angel Falls is a lovely hike, not too hard for Jason, who didn't need any help, and still okay for Emmett, who only had to be carried a few times.  

We had told the little boys that we were Waterfall Hunters, and they weren't disappointed.  The entire hike is next to a stream.  The stream had a hundred small little tumbler falls, plus two good sized falls.  All of it was in the shade and the weather proved to be rather perfect.

Angel Falls

Our ragtag group.

Robert got ahold of the camera and I got about ten pictures of spider webs. :)

We also got a rare glimpse of the elusive Emmett Tree.  

Tallulah Falls

The next day we went off to the big hike.  Tallulah Falls at Tallulah Gorge park.  In order to get to the suspension bridge, you have to descend about a million steps.

 

There is Alaina all alone on the bridge.

After we made it back up those terrible stairs, we decided to take a couple of the side hikes.  One was up to the Dam and the other was along the ridge.

By the time we reached the Dam, Emmett was starting to lose steam.

All of his steam.

We ended up stopping for about a half an hour to refuel and reenergize, and then started our way back to the ridge.

When we finally got there, the view was worth it.

This view wasn't so bad either... :)  You see that tiny suspension bridge way out in the distance?  That was where we started our journey.

It really is quite the scenery.

The lookout where we stopped was the place where some guy named Karl Wallenda tightroped across the gorge in 1970.  He also managed to do two headstands in the middle of the walk.  (How's that for a little historical color?)

Here Robert is by the original metal contraption that held the wire.

We got someone to get us all in one picture.  We were almost all looking up.

The walk back was tough but we managed with a lot of pit stops.

And a little extra encouragement.

Minnehaha Falls

Our last day camping we packed up went out in search of this little waterfall that I had read about named Minnehaha Falls.  We had some vaguely written directions to it, and after getting lost for about 1/2 hour we finally found it.  It was along this teeny, windy road that only really allowed one car at a time.  It was paved, but not really well.  There were no markings, just a stairway leading up.  However, by the third day, we were trained Waterfall Hunters, and so we were determined to find it.

The small hike was worth it.  The big kids climbed all the way up to the top.

Ethan made it too, but I only caught a picture of the twins up there.

The little boys played in the small water at the bottom.  I was worried, since it was so slippery and there was another waterfall a little ways behind us.  We did have a couple of little falls but nothing too serous.  

When the kids got too cold, we hiked on back.

One the walk back to the car.

Lake Rabun

We spent our last few hours playing in Lake Rabun.  They had a dive deck out aways into the lake that the big kids enjoyed jumping off into.

I just thought Robert looked rather dashing in this photo, so it got in the post.

The little boys played in the shallows until they couldn't handle both the cold and the little fish swimming around them.  

Overall it was a wonderful break from our new busy schedule.  I always find the prep for camping is a lot of work, but the change of pace is always worth it.